Getting into Chrysler, the Pacifica story

Chrysler had its suppliers. Settled relationships, fixed processes, no reason to change.

We got inside the decision chain, named three problems their supplier had not solved, and won a place on the Pacifica interior. Tooling cost fell 50%, assembly time fell 30%.

Sector: automotive interiors. Geography: North America. Result: tooling cost down 50%, assembly speed up 30%.

If you are trying to enter a supply chain that looks closed, this is the work.

The starting point

We ran two conversations at the same time. One with Chrysler directly, one with the Tier 1 supplier who would receive the project.

At Chrysler, the focus was understanding their problems. Not selling. Understanding.

At Tier 1 level, we positioned as a reliable Tier 2 partner. The aim was to be in the room when the project was allocated, not to displace the Tier 1.

↳ By the time Chrysler awarded the programme, we had working relationships at every level of the decision chain.

What we found

Inside the process, we found three things Chrysler needed to solve for the Pacifica interior. Reduce weight. Simplify assembly. Deliver features the end user valued.

We also found problems in the existing solution that no one had addressed.

• components over engineered and too heavy
• misaligned specifications driving up tooling budgets
• assembly risk from left and right parts that looked too alike

↳ Each became a specific, quantified improvement we could offer.

What we changed

We redesigned around those three problems. The results were measurable.

• tooling cost reduced by 50% through design changes
• assembly speed increased by 30% through fast mounting and error proofing
• end user performance improved with automotive approved features

We told them the outcome, not the method. Chrysler needed efficiency and simplicity. We showed the numbers, not the process behind them.

↳ When you name the problem before the client does, the conversation moves faster.

The result

Chrysler’s procurement team began to rethink how it judged new suppliers. We moved from unknown in that supply chain to a trusted partner on critical programmes.

What I took from this

Getting into a new account at OEM level takes patience. Months, not weeks. The approach repeats.

• do the research before you knock
• build relationships at every level at once
• find the problems the current supplier is not solving

↳ Then offer proof, not promises.